Railway-track construction



Dec. 13, 1923. wagm H. H. DIEHL RAILWAY TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, i923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1923. 3,47%,16)?

H. H. DiEHL RAILWAY TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented @626. 1.8, i923.

nsures GINIA RAIL (10., OF HUNTINGTON, VIRGINIA.

TO THE 'WEST VIR- "WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF 'W'ES'I BAILW'AY-TEACK CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed September 25, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Harman H. DIEHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Huntington, in the county of Cabell and State of lVest Virginia, have invented. a new and useful Improvement in Railway-Track Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, more particularly, to point-rails and the mechanism for moving them into and out of the different positions to which they are movable relative to other rails of a track, as in the case of switch constructions; and my objects, generally stated, are to reduce the cost of such mechanisms without sacrificing strength, durability or positiveness of operation of the structure; to provide fastening means between the pointrail, or rails, as the case may be, and the operating bar connected therewith,

whereby the point-rail, or rails, may be readily connected with, and disconnected from said bar as desired; to provide a structure whereby the bar thereof which is connected with the pointaail, or rails, shall be free of any depending projections which, if present, would be liable, in encountering portions of the road, to prevent free movement of the point-rail, or rails, in the actuation of the O0 bar-operating mechanism; and other objects as will be manifest from the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the switch equipped portion of a track embodying my improvements, a portion of the operating mechanism for the switch points being broken away. Figure 2 is a similar view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. l and which is omitted from Fig. 1. Figure 3 is an enlarged broken section taken at the line 3 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure a is a broken bottom plan view of the connecting bar for the pointrails, this view being taken at the bolt device connecting one of the point-rails with the connecting bar. Figure 5 is a plan view, partly in section and with certain parts broken away, of the switch stand shown in Fig. 2. Figure 6 is a broken plan sectional view of the journaling base member of Fig. 5 showing it in one of its stages during the process of producing this base member, the

that portion of the operating mechanism Serial No. 664,738.

section being taken in the plane represented by the line 6 in Fig. 7 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Figure 7 is a section taken at the line 7 on Fig. 5 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Figure 8, an enlarged section taken at the line 8 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

I have illustrated my invention as applied to a switch involving the use of two-point rails represented at 10 and located adjacent the main rails 11 and 12 of the track, these point-rails being supported in a manner (not shown) well known in the art, to adaptthem to be swung laterally into and out of stitching position relative to the main rails. The point-rails 10 are connected, adjacent their point-ed extremities, for simultaneous operation, with a cross-bar 13 which extends beneath these rails and at one end to a point laterally beyond the track, atwhich extremity it contains an eye-portion 14 for pivotal connection with mechanism, hereinafter described, for actuating the bar 13.

The cross-bar 13 is in the form of a channel bar, it being preferably formed of a. bar rolled into the form stated, with its channel, represented at 15, in its under surface, the end portion of the bar 13 containing the eye 14 being twisted to cause the opening presented by the eye to extend substantially horizontally.

The point-rails 10 are connected with the cross-bar 13 preferably through the medium of clips, represented at 16 and shown as of general Zshape in cross-section and. preferably formed from a bar rolled to this cross-sectional shape and thereafter severed into lengths corresponding with the length of the clips, these clips containing openings 1. and 18 in their plate-portions 19 and 20, respectively, for receiving, respectively, rivets 21 by which the clips are rigidly secured to the point-rails 10, and pivoting bolts 22'by which the clips are releasably secured to the cross-bar 13, the heads 23 of the bolts 22 being held against turning by the walls of this channel. The cross-bar 13 is provided, adjacent the bolts 22, with clips 24: of general Z-shape in crosssection which, at certain of their substantially parallel plate-portions 25 and 26, are riveted to the bar 13, as represented at 27, the other plate-portions 26 thereof extending in spaced relation to the bar 13 and being apertured at 28 to receive the bolts 22, the clips 1.6 extending into the spaces between the bars 13 and the plateportions 26 ot the clips 2 as shown.

The means, in. the construction shown, for operating the cross-bar 13, comprises a connecting bar, or link, 29, which, in accordance with one feature of my invention, is in the form of a channel bar, it being preferably termed by rolling it to shape. The side-flanges 30 of this bar contain registering openings .31 and 32 at their opposite ends, respectively, tor the purpose hereinafter stated. The bar 29 at one end straddles the eye-equipped end oi" the bar 13 and is pivotally connected therewith by the pivoting device represented at which eX- tends through the eye l-ir. in bar 13 and the openings 31 in the bar 29.

The connecting bar 29 is shown as forming a part of a so-called groundthrow switch device comprising a base member 34 adapted to be spiked, or otherwise suitably secured, in position adjacent the track, a switch lever having a tulcruming portion in the form of a journal 36 which rotatably mounted in the base member S i, and a laterally projecting pin 37 carried by the lever 35 and disposed eccentrically of the journal 36 and journaled in the openings 32 in the connecting bar 29. As is usual in constructions of this general character, the lever 25 is weighted at its outer end, as represented at 38, and the several parts oi the structure are so proportioned and arranged that the lever 35 swings through an arc of substantially 180 in moving the point-rails from one position to their other position, in both of which positions the eccentric pivot 37 extends substantially in line with the journal 36 and the pivot 83, and the pointrails are thus held against accidental displacement.

In accordance with another feature of my invention, the base member formed oi general U-shape in cross-section, as shown, with its channel-forming side walls 39 extending upwardly, this member being preterably formed a. channel bar rolled to its channel term, its side thing being pref erably cut away to cause their upper surfaces to upwardly converge as shown. The side flanges 39 contain aligning apertures 4.0 into which the ends of a journaling tube {ii for the journal 36, preferably formed from a piece of cold drawn steel tubing, extend and in which they are secured, preferably by electrically arc-welding the ends of the tube in place at the openings a0, as represented at 40 The base portion 4-2 of the base mom-- ber 3a is shown as containing openings i?) for receiving spikes (not shown) by means of which the member 34: may be rigidly secured in position at one side of the track equipped with the point rails.

It will be noted that in the construction shown the bar 18 is rendered tree of any depending projections which might interiere with the proper operation of the structure of which this bar is a part. Furthermore, this bar may be relatively economically. manufactured as it may be provided as a rolled shape adapting it to receive, in its depending channel, the heads oi the bolts through the medium of which the pointrails are connected with the bar 13, and thereby not only relieve the bar 13 of the objectionable depending projections referred to, but also present surfaces at its side flanges 39 which engage the heads the bolts 22 and lock the latter agar turning, whereby the application of a. wrench to the bolt heads in the connecting ot the point rails with the cross-bar 1.3, and their removal therefrom, is rendered unnecessary,

this feature or my construction being of special advantage when the nuts of the bolts 252 have become rusted to the shanks of the bolts making the removal of the nuts from the shanks very diificult where the heads of the bolts must be held by a wrench.

The feature or providing the connecting bar 29 as a rolled channel is also oi advantage not only because it makes tor economy of structure but also because it provides the desired strength of structure with the use of less material and consequent lightening of the structure.

The feature of forming the base member 34; asdes ribed presents great economy in the manufacture of structures at this character, and presents a high degree of rigidity. The long bearing for the shaft 36 is provided by the tube ll and, as will be noted, no machining is required in the production of the journaling structure.

lVhilel: have illustrated and described a particular construction embodying my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of the inventron.

ii hat I claim new, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, a lengthwise movable bar of channel form with its channel in its under surface, said bar extending crosswise of said point rail, and means connecting said point rail with said bar and extending into said channel and rendering said bar tree at depending projections.

2. In a. device oi the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, a lengthwise movable bar of channel term with its channel in its under surface, said bar extending crosswise of said point rail, and means connecting said point rail with said ill) cross-bar comprising a boltdevice the head of which extends into said channel and is held therein against turning.

3. in a device of the character set forth, the combination or a point rail, a lengthwise movable bar extending crosswise of said point rail and operatively engaged with said point rail, and means for actuat ing said bar comprising a connecting bar of channel shape straddling, at one end, an end or" said first-reterred-to bar, and means pivotally connecting said bars together at their relatively overlapping portions.

4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, a lengthwise movable bar extending crosswise of said point rail and operatively engaged with said point rail, and means for actuating said bar comprising a connecting bar oi channel shape the side flanges of which are apertured at one end of the bar at which apertured portions said connecting bar straddles an end of said flrst-referred-to bar, and means pivotally connecting said bars together at the apertures in said connecting bar.

5. In a device of the character set forth, the combination or point rail, a lengthwise movable bar extending crosswise of said point rail and operatively engaged with said point rail, and means for actuating said bar comprising a connecting bar of channel shape containing registering apertures in its flanges at opposite ends or the bar, said connecting bar at one end straddling said firstreferred-to bar, means pivotally connecting said bars together at certain of said apertures in said connecting bar, and means for actuating said connecting bar comprising a crank pin extending into the other apertures in said connecting bar.

6. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, and operating mechanism therein comprising a base member having upwardly-extending flanges spaced apart, a journaling tube secured at its ends in said flanges, a journal rotatable in said tube, and operative connections be tween said journal and said point rail.

7. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, and operating mechanism therefor comprising a, base member having upwardly-extending flanges spaced apart, a journaling tube secured at its ends in said flanges, a journal rotatable in said tube, a switch lever connected with said journal and having an eccentricallydisposed journal stud, and operative connections between said journal stud and said point rail.

8. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, and operating mechanism therefor comprising a base member having upwardly extending flanges spaced apart, a journaling tube secured at its ends in said flanges, a journal rotatable in said tube, a switch lever connected with said journal and having an eecentricallydisposed journal stud, a lengthwise movable bar exteiiding crosswiseoi said point rail and operatively engaging the latter, and a connecting bar pivoted at its ends to said firstreferred-to bar and to said journal stud.

9. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, and operating mechanism therefor comprising a base member having upwardly-extending flanges spaced apart, a journaling tube extending at its ends into apertures in said flanges and united therewith, as by welding, a journal rotatable in said tube, and operative connections between said journal and said point rail.

10. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a point rail, and operating mechanism therefor comprising a base member having upwardly-extending flanges spaced apart, a ournaling tube of cold drawn steel secured at its ends in said flanges, a journal rotatable in said tube, and operative connections between said journal and said point rail.

11. device of the character set forth comprising, in combination, a point rail, a lengthwise movable bar extending crosswise of said point rail, said bar being in the form of a channel, means connecting said point rail with said bar, and means for reciprocating said bar comprising a base member adapted to be secured in position adjacent the track of which the point rail is a part, said base member being formed with upwardly extending flanges spaced apart and containing apertures, a journaling tube extending at its ends into the apertures in said base member and secured therein, a throw lever provided with a laterally-extending ournal portion journaled in said tube, said lever being provided with a journal stud disposed eccentrically of said journal portion, and a connecting bar of channel form containing apertures in its flanges at opposite ends thereof, said journal stud being ournaled in the openings in one. end of said bar and said bar at its opposite end straddling said flrst-referred-to bar and being pivotally connected therewith.

12. A device of the character set forth comprising, in combination, a point rail, :1 lengthwise movable bar extending crosswise of said point rail, said bar being in the form of a channel with the channel therein at its under side, means connecting said point rail with said bar and comprising a bolt device the head of which is located in said channel and is held against turning therein by its proximity to the flanges of said channel, and means for reciprocating said bar compris ing a base member adapted to be secured in position adjacent the track of which the point rail is apart, said base member being formed With upWardly-extending" flanges spaced apart and containing apertures, a

1 journaling tube extending at its ends into the apertures in said base member and secured therein, a throw lever provided With a laterally-extending journal portion journaled in said tube, said lever being provided with ajournai stud disposed eccentricaiiy of said journal portion, and a connecting bar of channel fol-n1 containing apertures-in its flanges at opposite ends thereof said journal stud being journaled in the openings in one end of said bar and said bar at its opposite end straddling said first-referred-to bar and being pivotally connected therewith.

HERMAN HLDIEHL. 

